Hert en koppen 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat created this drawing of a deer and some heads in pen and ink. Tavenraat lived in a time when the traditional roles of aristocracy were being challenged by emerging bourgeois values. The stag, an emblem often associated with nobility and the hunt, appears here alongside caricatured heads, hinting at social commentary. During the 19th century, animals often became symbols of human traits, reflecting and shaping societal views. The emotional depth of this piece comes from its capacity to invoke empathy and recognition. Tavenraat’s sketch invites us to reflect on how social hierarchies impact our perception of power and identity, blurring the lines between the wild and the cultivated, the noble and the common.